INITIATIVE WINS SHELL MEDIA REVIEW

To Handle Buying and Planning for Pennzoil and Quaker State

DETROIT (AdAge.com) -- Shell Oil Co.'s Pennzoil and Quaker State brands tapped Interpublic Group of Cos.' Initiative Media, New York, for its U.S. consolidated TV and radio planning and buying account.

Steve Hanson, senior vice president of marketing, said the parties are still negotiating compensation, and print media duties may be added. He declined to reveal what the fees might be for the two brands, which have annual media outlays of between $40 million and $50 million.

after a review, which was conducted by Roth & Associates, New York. The other finalists were Omnicom Group's OMD, Los Angeles and Zenith Optimedia Group, New York, co-owned by Publicis Groupe and Cordiant Communications Group.

Mr. Hanson said the marketer tapped Initiative because of its "very, very good analytical capabilities" and global reach, an criteria that arose as the review progressed as Shell may consider expanding the two brands worldwide.

Incumbent GSD&M
Omnicom's GSD&M, Austin, the incumbent media buyer for both brands and planner on Pennzoil, decided not to defend the account. The agency was replaced as Pennzoil's creative agency in April by sibling TBWA/Chiat/Day, Playa del Rey, Calif., after a review.

Houston-based Shell Lubricants is a division of the Shell Oil Co., an affiliate of Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Cos. Shell Oil acquired Pennzoil-Quaker State last March for $1.8 billion.